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The Postal Service Shipping Process and Times Are So Weird

I think that it is odd how things take varied amounts of time to travel. Here is a good example. I live in West Virginia and dropped 4 packages in the mail on Friday at the same time. All four were the same size, same weight and First Class postage.

So the first two packages (1 & 2) are headed to towns that are just 2 hours apart. One is out for delivery and the other is still in a sorting facility. Package 3 is headed to a town just 8 hours away from me while package 4 is headed to a town 14 hours away but the closer package has just arrived at the post office while the farther away package is already out for delivery.

I think this is a good example for people to consider. There is no point in complaining about shipping times and feeling that your package didn't arrive fast enough. This is a prime example of how inconsistent the postal service is.

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I totally agree with the OP. USPS is very shaky on delivery. I never complain about the time while in USPS custody I only complain about the time it takes to get to USPS custody. So if a package is mailed out on a monday and it doesnt get to me until saturday then Im not upset, but if I pay for a package on monday and it doesnt ship out til friday then Im upset. Once it gets in the hands of the USPS it is outta the shippers control on how long it will take to be delivered, so complaining to the shipper about a government ran organization is just pointless.

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This is Very true my bud in MN can ship me an item and I will get it in 2 days here in Texas but I send something to my cousin in San Antonio 2 hrs away and it takes 3 sometimes 4 days. Just plain weird.

The post office offers a very good service that is very cheap compared with other options and countries. I also don't find it strange that you are seeing different delivery times, especially with the storms the last week, but even not considering that, mail does not travel a straight line, it goes to mailing center, to another mailing center, to a district mailing center, and then your local mailing center.

You do understand you used first-class mail, and got half of your packages delivered in 1 business day right?

Last edited by MeteoriteGuy; 03-04-2013 at 11:23 PM.
Reason: added business day note

The USPS is inconsistent, but I've only had one problem with them since I started trading/buying/selling online. In that case the other member claimed his PO didn't do DC, didn't give him a receipt....so that's the only time I've had an issue.

The post office offers a very good service that is very cheap compared with other options and countries. I also don't find it strange that you are seeing different delivery times, especially with the storms the last week, but even not considering that, mail does not travel a straight line, it goes to mailing center, to another mailing center, to a district mailing center, and then your local mailing center.

You do understand you used first-class mail, and got half of your packages delivered in 1 business day right?

I wasn't complaining. I was pointing out how inconsistent delivery times are. We have some members that think they can predict when a package should have arrived to them. I want to call to people's attention that packages that were shipped on the same day were unpredictable in their delivery time. Some people would argue that a package shipped from WV would arrive in TN faster than it would arrive in FL, yet my experience proves different.

Hidden ContentHidden Content"Amidst the uncertainties of war, every soldier is entitled to one certainty...that he will not be forgotten.
Poor is the nation that has no heroes, shameful is the one that, having them...forgets."